Spicy Tuna Salad Sandwich
Spicy Tuna Salad Sandwich- Are you searching for a fresh take on the classic tuna salad sandwich? Are you tired of the same old pickle relish and mayo combination? I hear you! This recipe will pull you right out of that tuna salad rut you have found yourself in. Loaded with fresh ingredients and a spicy kick to boot, I know you’re gonna love this. In this post, I will show you how to completely change your perspective on what tuna salad can be!
Spicy Tuna Sandwich
What is your favorite tuna sandwich recipe? I’m really hoping it will be this one! Or maybe you don’t have a favorite because you default to making it the same way every time? I hope that after you make this recipe it will become your new best friend, at least when it comes to a tuna sandwich anyway.
If you have visited The Copper Table in the past or have made any of my recipes, you know that they are full of fresh fruits and vegetables and use minimal processed ingredients. Well, this spicy tuna salad is no exception. If this is your first time visiting the site, I encourage you to check out my about page, to learn more about the recipes you’ll find here and how I can help you cook fresh from scratch food you’ll love.
Why You’ll Love This Spicy Tuna Salad Sandwich
There is so much to enjoy about this recipe! I have been making this for years and it is one of my favorite make ahead lunches. Here are a few reasons why this spicy tuna sandwich recipe is so great:
- This is meal prep gold! Make a batch of this tuna salad to start your week, and you’ll have lunch for the next few days!
- Fresh veggies and herbs. Yep, we are putting fresh herbs and vegetables into tuna salad. Bet you didn’t see that coming!
- This recipe does not contain mayonnaise! I have nothing against mayo, but I often find that it can really dominate a tuna salad and cut through the other flavors. So we are making tuna salad without mayonnaise!
- With the fresh veggies and herbs, this tuna salad makes great use of some of the things you might find at the Farmers Market, in a CSA box, or in your grocery store. You know I am all about giving you tips and tricks to utilize those items!
- If you have some excess cilantro, green onion, or jalapeno laying around, whether it is from buying too much or your garden exploded, this recipe is the perfect solution if you’re looking for ways to use it up!
What You Need For Spicy Tuna Salad
This ingredient list is not everything you will need, but I wanted to highlight a few of the more important ones. See the recipe card for the full list of ingredients.
Canned Tuna- See the next section for the best kind of tuna to use.
Jalapeno- This is where some of the spice comes from! I love the kick, and it really doesn’t take away from the tuna at all.
Cilantro- I know there is a great divide regarding cilantro, people either love it or hate it. I’m asking you to trust me and include it if it’s an ingredient you normally don’t care for. It also adds its own kick, along with the green onion.
Greek Yogurt- This is our mayonnaise alternative. It may be a bit surprising, but it works here!
What Is The Best Tuna For Tuna Salad?
I like using water packed Albacore tuna for this recipe. It just tastes better than the usual water packed tuna.
Where I live, I am really lucky to have locally canned troller caught tuna. I know not everyone has access to locally canned fish, so use whatever you are able to find where you live.
How To Make A Spicy Tuna Sandwich
This is a pretty easy recipe. If you have made tuna salad before, you know that most of the time there is not much more to it than adding all the ingredients to a bowl and stirring. This recipe does have a couple of extra steps that take very little time but add so much flavor. For full instructions, ingredients, and tips, see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Ways To Enjoy This Spicy Tuna Salad Sandwich
I love a big scoop of this spicy tuna salad with fresh lettuce or arugula and a big slice of tomato on whole wheat or sourdough bread. It makes a great tuna melt as well!
When I eat this, I like to have it with a bowl of my grandmother’s vegetable soup, or some potato salad and strawberry basil lemonade if I’m packing a picnic.
How To Store Tuna Salad
Fish can spoil quickly, so it is really important that you store this in the refrigerator or in an insulated cooler with an ice pack if you are taking it with you, so that it stays cold.
It stores just fine in a container in the refrigerator with a tight lid for up to 5 days.
Thank you for stopping by! I hope you love this spicy tuna salad sandwich and if you did, I’d love to hear from you. Ratings and comments are always welcome! If you’d like all the latest updates and a free ebook, be sure to sign up for my email newsletter. Happy Cooking!
Spicy Tuna Salad Sandwich
This Spicy Tuna Salad Sandwich is a game changer. Full of herbs and veggies, this tuna salad does not contain mayonnaise. You will love this fresh take on a classic sandwich!
Ingredients
- 2 12 ounce cans of Albacore Tuna (water packed)
- 1/2 cup of Fresh Cilantro
- 1 bunch of Green Onions (about 6 green onions)
- 2 large Fresh Jalapenos
- 1 1/2 tsp of Salt
- 1/2 tsp of Black Pepper
- 1/2 cup of Plain Greek Yogurt (I used fat free)
Instructions
- Drain the canned tuna and place in a medium sized mixing bowl.
- Pull the cilantro leaves from their stems and chop enough cilantro to yield 1/2 cup.
- Chop the six green onions. Use both the green and white parts of the onion.
- Dice the jalapeno.
- Add the chopped cilantro, chopped jalapeno, and sliced green onion to the bowl with the tuna.
- Next, add the 1 1/2 tsp of salt and the 1/2 tsp of pepper to the tuna mixture and stir.
- Finally, add the 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt and stir well. It is best to chill at least 2 hours (preferably overnight) to allow the flavors to blend before eating.
Notes
If you would prefer to use mayonnaise in this recipe, that is totally fine! Just use 1/2 cup of mayo, same as the Greek yogurt.
You can use Greek yogurt with a higher fat content if you prefer.
For more spice, leave the ribs and seeds of the jalapeno intact, or simply add extra jalapeno, whatever you like!
You can use 4 cans of tuna that are 6 ounces instead of two cans that are 12 ounces if you are unable to find 12 ounce cans.
Be sure to use both the white and green parts of the green onion. it adds great flavor!
If you don't want to serve this as a sandwich, it is great scooped on top of salad greens too.
To increase the heat even more, you can replace the jalapeno with serrano chilis.
You can try to substitute flat leaf parsley for the cilantro if you really don't care for it, but the flavor of the finished tuna salad will not be quite the same.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 159Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 1017mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 29g
All information presented and written within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist or registered dietitian and any nutritional information should only be used as a general guideline. Statements within this site have not been evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is provided for recipes contained on this site. This information comes from online calculators. Although The Copper Table attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
This looks delicious! I love tuna and spicy food, but never thought of mixing the two. Can’t wait to try it! Visiting from Farmhouse Friday.
Enjoy your weekend.
This sounds like a great idea for lunch over the summer months. I love tuna but haven’t had it like this before, it sounds delicious.